Propeller with variable pitch



Oct. 17, 1933. M. J-B. BARBAROU 1,930,548'

PROPELLER WITH VARIABLE PITCH Original Filed March 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV E N TC R;

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lll/MIME? Oct. 17, 1933. M. J-B. BARBAROU PROPELLER WITH VARIABLE PIKTCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O Morlnu 5 J-ean -Bnphsl'e arbarou mvEN-roa;

Attor'ney.

Patented Oct. 17, 1 933 UNITED STATES PROPELLER WITH VARIABLE Prrcn Marius Jean-Baptiste VBarbarou,` Neuilly-sur- Seine, France Original application March 1, 1930, Serial No.

432,449, and in France March 19, 1929.

vided and this application April 1, 1931. Serial 1 claim.

The present application is a division from Patent No. 1,825,768, October 6, 1931, led March l, 1930, which has for its object to provide a propeller unit in which the pitch of the propeller varies automatically with the altitude. Patent 1,825,768 chiely relates to the means for automatically actuating the propeller blades. The present invention relates to an arrangement of the propeller blades upon their support which allows the oscillations o1 said blades.

One object of the invention is to secure an improved mounting of the propeller blades upon their supporting arm to prevent deformation oi the propeller blades.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vibration damping connection between the propeller blades and their supporting arms.

A further object of the invention is to devise improved means for taking up the thrust of the blades due to centrifugal force.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the propeller unit according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial axial section of the main propeller of which only one blade is shown, the section being made on the line 2 2 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 of a main propeller blade.

Fig. 4 is a cross section, on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5 5 of Fig.2.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, 45 is an auxiliary propeller of constant pitch, secured to a bevel pinion 42, cooperating with two bevel pinions 8 secured to the blades 10 of the main propeller, said blades being rotatable about supporting arms 1; pinions 8 are held on a hub or casing 1a keyed to the driving shaft 60. The torque of the propeller 45 is counterbalanced by a spring 23, which presses with the proper force and in the proper direction upon two rollers 24, mounted upon Supports 26, secured to pinions 8.

1n a preferred embodiment of the invention and as shown in the drawings, hub la has a transverse bore opening into an axial recess in arms l and adapted to t upon said driving shaft fastened therein by a keyA 2. A cylin'- drical thrust member 7 (Figs. 2 and 5), provided with a packing ring and a nut 63, is mounted on arm 1 by means of grooved sectors 3 which are formed only upon portions of said thrust member and engage corresponding grooved sec- (Cl. 17o-162) tors 3EL of arm 1; the disposition is such that, in a given angular position, said thrust member may may be slidden on arm 1 and, upon rotation of said member' through a suitable angle, the grooved portions 3 and 3a engage one another, thus locking said thrust member 'l in the axial position. Said thrust member is provided with a shoulder 'la which serves to support on one side pinion 8, secured to said shoulder by any suitable means such as bolts 22, and on the other side a ilanged part 91 o a cylindrical sleeve 9. Bolts 22 are also adapted to hold upon said Ishoulder two plates 26 and 26a, supporting the pivot pins 25 of rollers 24, plate 26 being centered on sleeve 9 and plate 26a upon thrust vmember '7. Rollers 24 are caused to bear in the proper direction upon the ends of spring 23. Thrust member 7 is recessed (Fig. 5) for the insertion of a sleeve-shaped stop member 13, located between the grooves of arm 1, thus limiting the displacements of pinion 8 by its contact with shoulders 59, formed on arm 1a certain play being provided. A casing 28 encloses the several parts, and leakage .of oil is prevented by a stuing-box 36.

Between sleeve A9 and an innertube 11, which is mounted on a ball bearing 12 disposed on arm 1, is riveted the cent-ral cylindrical part 10at of the corresponding blade 10 of the variable-pitch propeller, which blade may consist of a hollow sheet metal member (Fig. 3). A spacing member 14 is interposed between the ball bearing 12 and a thrust bearing 15, comprising tapered rollers, cooperating with the thrust member 7. A disk 32 in contact with said ball bearing 12, supports a packing member 18 which is held `by a ring 19, pressed by a nut 20 cooperating with a lock nut 58 and a pin 2l. A wooden tube 16, hooped at eachend at 17 sur-` rounds member 14 and restricts the space offered to the lubricating oil, which is supplied through an oiler 30 closed by a screw plug 27', provided with a packing ring 31. Plug 37 is locked in place by a braking or locking member 57. 100

Arm 1 is extended beyond lock nut 58 by a reduced portion 62 Whose end extends through a bearing 33, riveted to the inner wall of the blade 10 at 33B. The connection between arm 1 and bearing 33 is made elastic by an india rubber 10- ring 34, held in compressed condition by a ring 35 having a tapered lit in bearing 33.

The auxiliary propeller is mounted in the iollowing manner: A portion 50 of the hub 1a forms a support for two ball bearings 40- 41. l

On said support is a shoulder 51 engaging ball bearing a spacing member 52 is interposed between said bearing and ball bearing 41, which is held by a pinned nut 49. A toothed ring 42 is mounted on and centered by said ball bearings 40--41, and is held by a shoulderl 53 and an inner nut 48; it is( formed with iiutes 42* cooperating with utes of the hub 43 o1' said constant-pitch propeller 45 for driving the lat-I ter. Said propeller is secured to the hub 43 by a plate 46 and bolts 55. Lateral motion of said Obviously..the invention is not strictly limited to the constructional 'details herein described and represented, which are given solely by way of example.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A propeller unit comprising in combination a propeller shaft, a main propeller frame keyed to said shaft, propeller blades pivotally mounted on said frame, means for automatically pivoting said blades upon said frame in iiight, said frame comprising radial arms extending longitudinally through said blades towards the ends thereof and elastic connections remote from said shaft, between said blades and the outer ends of said arms for both allowing the rotation of said blades about said arms and Afor damping vibrations of said blades.

MARIUS JEAN-.BAPTISTE BARBAROU. 

